Signum
| voices = (Japanese) Bailey Chadwick (English)Chadwick, Bailey. Personal Conversation at Anime Expo 2008. 5 July, 2008. }} is a knight introduced in Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's. She is the leader of the Wolkenritter, a creation of the Book of Darkness. Name Her name is presumably a reference to the . Like all Wolkenritter, she does not have a family name. As a Wolkenritter, Signum is titled as the , referring to her weapon Laevatein. Additionally, she is called by the Will of the Book of Darkness and the unconscious Hayate Yagami as the ,Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's Sound Stage 02. referring to her MCA::flame-type Mana Conversion Affinity and her leadership role among the Wolkenritter. It is often shortened as by the Will of the Book of Darkness (and later Reinforce, in the portable and movie continuity). Her callsign in Riot Force 6 (0075-0076) is . Appearance Signum is many centuries old, but as a magical construct she does not appear to age. Like other Wolkenritter, she does not have an official born year or age.Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS, TSAB ID card. Her physical appearance, manners and fighting style are styled after and her mecha , as one of the many shout-outs to the series in the Nanoha franchise. Most notably, they share the same voice, being both played by . Signum also bears some resemblance to , an important figure in the Abrahamic religions. Michael is the general of God's army, wields a flaming sword, and is generally associated with fire element. Similarly, Signum is the leader of the Wolkenritter, wields Laevatein, and has a flame-type Mana Conversion Affinity. Also, though wings are not part of the original portrayal of angels, Signum manifests two pairs of flaming wings when in Unison with Agito. Personality Signum has a taciturn and businesslike personality, contrasted by the more empathetic Shamal and the brash Vita. Her speech is antiquated and and occasionally very formal, including expressions. Although she appears cold and collected at all times, this facade gives way to a gentler personality when she is with her master Hayate Yagami and the rest of their "family". In A's, she carries out what she believes to be her duty (collecting pages of the Book of Darkness to save her master's life), even if it means dishonoring herself (by lying to Hayate and later, fighting and hurting a child, Fate Testarossa). On the other hand, after the incident is resolved, she shows willingness to atone for her crimes and foresight not to have aggravated her and other Wolkenritter's case by unnecessary cruelty. By the time of StrikerS, she has similarly warmed up to her former rival Fate, and the close partnership with Agito later that season seems to have generally loosened her up a little, as seen in Force. In A's Signum enters the story when Vita has attempted to steal Nanoha Takamachi's Linker Core for the Book of Darkness. Since the arrival of Nanoha's allies, Fate Testarossa and Yuuno Scrya, Vita is cornered and Signum must come to her rescue with Shamal. The Wolkenritter overpower the Midchildan-system mages with their use of the Belkan cartridge system, and Signum manages to snap Fate's Device, Bardiche, in half. The battle ends with Shamal finally managing to get Nanoha's Linker Core and Nanoha breaking Vita's force field. Signum refuses to take a bath that night for fear of Hayate seeing the injuries sustained in her battle with Fate. Signum may appear emotionless, but she is completely dedicated to Hayate, and as the leader of the Wolkenritter, fights for the others as well. The Wolkenritter attack mages to absorb their Linker Cores, their sources of magic, to fill the 666 pages of the Book of Darkness with this power before it saps any more of Hayate's and she becomes fully paralyzed. They continue to obtain Linker Cores and fight off interference from the Administrative Bureau, mainly Fate (with whom Signum faces off during every battle, and whose strength she respects) and Nanoha, while they try to keep Hayate from knowing that they are stealing magic for pages; she has told them that as long as she is the master of the Book, she will not allow anyone to be harmed over it. Signum, determined to save Hayate even if it means going against her wishes, convinces the other Wolkenritter to fill up the Book of Darkness anyway. What the Wolkenritter do not know about Hayate is that the Book, once completed, may stop sapping her Linker Core for pages, but that does not mean that it will stop hurting her or undo its damage. In fact, the master of the Book dies upon its completion. Signum continues to masquerade as a distant relative of Hayate's while covering up their deeds. Shamal notes that Signum used to be completely emotionless, and ordered the other Wolkenritter to act as such in accordance with their purpose, but once Hayate came along and treated them like family, Signum began to smile. Just before the Book of Darkness is completed, Suzuka Tsukimura brings Hayate some friends, including Nanoha and Fate, in the hospital as the Wolkenritter are there. The warring groups recognize each other and their shared wish at once, and meet on the roof of the hospital. Nanoha and Fate try to tell the Wolkenritter about what will happen to Hayate, but their confrontation is cut short by both the interference of two masked men and the completion of the Book of Darkness with the Linker Cores of the Wolkenritter themselves. All that is left of Signum is her winter coat. Aria and Lotte Liese, who turn out to be the masked men, frame Nanoha and Fate for the death of Signum and the others. Hayate screams in horror for all of this to stop and is taken over by the will of the Book of Darkness, becoming the fearsome possessed woman inside of it just as the real duo escapes their prison. Meanwhile, Signum's spirit is trapped inside the Book of Darkness with the others. When Hayate rejects her own wish of vengeance, she reprograms the entire Book and awakens the Wolkenritter inside the book of Darkness, and she decides to join the fight against the automated Defence Program. During the fight, she turns Laevatein into Bogenform to fire Sturmfalken. For all her practicality and frugality, she knows that saving Hayate is the ultimate goal. In the end, Reinforce releases all the Wolkenritter in physical forms at the cost of her own existence. In A's Sound Stage 03, Nanoha mentions that the Wolkenritter always immobilize their targets and render them unconscious before stealing their Linker Cores and asks Signum whether this is to prevent any chance of serious injuries (since Linker Cores themselves can regenerate, but other organs can be damaged during their extraction). Signum affirms this and admits that the four of them has planned to surrender to the Bureau all along, have they been able to complete the Book and survive its activation (the chances of which were slim, as she also admits), therefore they have taken precautions to not worsen their criminal record any more than necessary, hoping to get a lighter sentence and spend more time with Hayate.Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's Sound Stage 03, track 18. Between A's and StrikerS , A's Sound Stage 03, , and StrikerS Sound Stage M expand on what happens to the characters between A's and its sequel, StrikerS. Signum officially joins the Administrative Bureau in May 0066 as a (to Hayate) under the Armed Forces.Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS Starter Book.Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's THE COMICS, chapter 7 ("Epilogue of Aces"). She presumably befriends her sword arts fellow Schach Nouera in the early spring of 0067 when Hayate is involved in a mission related to the Saint Church. In the same year, Vice Granscenic joins the Bureau at the age of 17 and serves under Signum in the Armed Forces. The first part of (ch.1-3) occurs in April 0071, nominally six years after A's and four years before StrikerS anime series. In it, Signum is working at a Ground Force under the Midchilda Ground Headquarters (probably the Capital Defense Corps) along with Vice. She and her family are planning to relocate from Earth to residence::Midchilda before Hayate's graduation from junior high school. In (August 0072), Signum is a 3rd Air Captain in Air Force 1039, with Vice and Alto Krauetta as her colleagues. They discuss about the Relics and the planning of Hayate's extra force during a meal with Nanoha after she visits their Force for tactics teaching. They are, prior to their secondment to Riot Force 6 in March 0075, transferred altogether to the Midchilda Capital Air Force, where Signum becomes the Sub-Commander of its 14th-Team. In StrikerS Signum is now a 2nd Air Captain, seconded to Riot Force 6 as the Sub-Commander of member of::Forward Lightning, working under Fate and Hayate. Unlike Vita who has already acquired Tactics Teacher qualification, Signum does not participate in training the Forward members, claiming that she is an old-fashioned knight and all she can teach them is how to get close to their enemies and rip them apart. However, near the end half of the series, she accepts the request of Erio Mondial to spar with him. During the attack of the Saint's Cradle, Signum fights Knight Zest Grangeitz, who is in Unison with Agito. She also performs uses::Unison with Reinforce II, but only manages to end the fight with a draw. The fight continues inside the Midchilda Ground Headquarters, and Signum comes out victorious. In his dying breath, Zest asks her to take care of Agito and Lutecia Alpine. After the dissolution of Riot Force 6 in 0076, Signum resumes her duty as Capital Air Force 14th-Team Sub-Commander, bringing in Agito as her assistant. In ViVid Signum only makes minor appearances in ViVid, along the rest of the Yagami family at home or at the Intermiddle Championship stadiums. Her rank in the Bureau is now promoted to 1st Air Captain, as she mentions to Miura Rinaldi that Nanoha has the same rank as hers, and it is also confirmed in . From the flashback of Miura, it is also revealed that Signum has been teaching her for certain battle techniques, e.g. sword-slashing adapted as kicks. In Force Signum appears in the prologue chapter, partnering with Agito. She makes her first proper appearance in chapter 3, when she and Agito investigate the ruins of the installation destroyed by Thoma Avenir and Lily-Strosek on Ruwella. Both are revealed to be in pursuit of the "Hückebein", as well as the EC Divider and the Reactor (implied to be Lily). After Agito reports their findings to Teana, Signum comments that she feels uneasy, as if before a major battle. She is last seen receiving the news of the fight between Thoma and Veyron and heads there, expressing hope that there were no casualties. She and Agito appear again in chapter 5, finally discovering Thoma and Lily just in time to save them from Cypha of Hückebein. After restraining Cypha with a bind spell, she orders all three of them to freeze and drop their weapons, introducing herself as a member of member of::Special Duty Section 6 of TSAB. The charges for their arrest are "possession of dangerous goods and committing acts of violence". When Cypha disregards the orders and breaks the bind, Signum warns her that if she resists, she will cut her down, regardless of who she is. After Cypha ignores the warning (as well as a second one), Signum loads a cartridge into Laevatein and attacks her in the air. Despite Cypha's complacency, Signum proves more than a match for her, briefly transforming Laevatein into Schlangenform and wounding her in the face. At this moment, Agito, who has completed the analysis of Cypha's field effects, enters Unison with Signum. Before they attack, however, Signum questions Cypha whether her katana is a Divider and whether she is a member of Hückebein. When Cypha confirms both, Signum asks whether she remembers destroying a pioneer settlement on Uninhabited World #14 three months earlier and killing 67 civilians and 12 TSAB officers, which Cypha nonchalantly confirms, as well. Signum, greatly distraught, questions why they did it, but Cypha merely says that "the need arose" and admits being among the killers that time. Immediately thereafter, Signum attacks again and knocks her into the ground, completely severing her right arm. This, however, also considerably damages Laevatein. However, Cypha quickly regenerates her arm and rises into the air again. Signum recognizes her as someone in the mid-stages of infection by the Eclipse. She and Agito then prepare to capture her, and Agito informs Signum that she only has to maintain physical contact with Cypha for 0.2 seconds for the capture system to completely restrict her. At this moment, however, Cypha fully activates her Divider, transforming it into two large swords and dares Signum to attack. Unfazed, Signum prepares for another battle, igniting Laevatein once again. Meanwhile, on Vaizen, Section 6 sends reinforcements to back Signum up. Vita mentions that Signum had an AEC Armament developed for her, too, but it is not ready yet. Thoma stands up, having completely lost the sense of self, and summons the second, more powerful form of his Barrier Jacket and Divider. Cypha asks her whether he will find a place in Signum's world or the Bureau will kill him. Instead of replying, Signum orders Agito to unison out and take care of Thoma, while she herself attempts to restrain Cypha. She fires a multi-projectile shooting spell to distract her but Cypha blocks it easily with her Divider. Signum then attempts to cut her down with Laevatein, but Cypha blocks it with her elbow. The toughness of her Eclipse-augmented body is so great that Laevatein shatters near the hilt. In the next moment, Cypha slashes Signum twice across the chest. Agito attempts to help but is stopped by a long range bombardment spell. Bidding Signum farewell, Cypha pins Signum to the ground with her sword through the stomach. As she pulls the sword out, she comments that Signum's death shall be a warning to all those who pursue Hückebein. Chapter 8 reveals that Signum and Agito are still alive when the Bureau's medics get to them, despite sustaining severe injuries and losing consciousness. Signum is shown rushed away to the hospital with an oxygen mask on her face. Signum finally wakes up in a hospital ward in chapter 18, with Agito, Reinforce Zwei and Hayate at her side. At chapter 20, she expresses regret for not being able to save Thoma and asks for a sparring match. Knowing that she will have to fight Cypha without magic, only with dodging and parrying, she limits herself to her sword skills in the sparring, while Agito takes care of her other powers. The match ends in a draw, although it is noted that the injury may possibly have permanent damage on Signum's body. In chapter 23, Signum finally returns to combat duty with her new AEC Equipment, Gladiator, and confronts Cypha who is engaged in a three-way battle between the SDS6 and the Grendel family. This battle ends in her favor, as Cypha once again loses her arm and is forced to flee. Alternate continuities Portable Signum appears as a playable character in both and . Movie Signum appears in , and . There is no significant change related to Signum between A's and The MOVIE 2nd A's. In the epilogue of the latter (presumably spring of 0067), Signum is seen wearing the Sailing Force uniform along with Vita and Signum as they have joined the Bureau's Main Office under Leti Lowran's arrangement. During the events in Reflection (summer of 0067), Signum is serving in the Bureau's Air Force (c/w Armed Force in the primary continuity). Brave Duel '|八神シグナム|Yagami Shigunamu}} is a shop assistant of Yagamido, along with and . Powers uses::telepathy Signum is a skilled aerial knight and swordswoman. She has exceptional swordsmanship and is able to use her Armed Device, Laevatein, very efficiently. She is one of the most powerful mages in the Bureau, having fought Nanona to a draw at least twice''Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS THE COMICS'', chapter 10, page 19.Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS THE COMICS, chapter 15, page 30. and repeatedly faced off against Fate during the Book of Darkness Incident. Canonically, Signum has never decisively lost a battle until her defeat at the hands of Cypha of Hückebein in Force. Signum is also capable of entering Unison with Reinforce II. As a result, Rein is also registered as one of her Devices on her Bureau ID Card. By the end of StrikerS, Signum also enters Unison with Agito. Knight Clothing Signum's Knight Clothing is comprised of armor plates and a battle dress designed for mobility, functioning similarly to the Midchildan Barrier Jackets. Although Hayate discourages her and the other Wolkenritter from fighting, she designs each of their Knight Clothings. It turns lavender when Signum is in Unison with Reinforce II. With Agito, it turns violet instead and generates two pairs of fiery wings. In the movie continuity, Signum's Knight Clothing in The MOVIE 2nd A's is basically the same as that in A's. By the time of Reflection, her Knight Clothing has been refined by the Technical Division's latest technology, resulting in increased mobility and defensive functionality.Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Reflection Official Guide Book. Notably, in the flashbacks in ViVid (ch.ex), Force and The MOVIE 2nd A's, Signum is seen wearing more traditional armors alongside other Wolkenritter while serving other masters in the Ancient Belkan era. Spells In the games | triangle_lr = Flying Dragon Flash | circle_cr = Schlangebeißen Schneiden | circle_lr = Schlangebeißen | triangle_dbl = Luminous Dragon | left = Sturmfalken | right = Panzerschild }} Gallery References Category:Characters